Advertising display can



March 28, 1967 w, OLIVER 3,311,226

ADVERTIS ING DI SPLAY CAN Filed Feb. 16, 1965 HilllI/H I 1 ul i aoo FIGQ5- INVENTOR. Q WESLEY H. OLA ER WWW! BY HA5 ,47'7'O/QA/EYS hAexe/s, Maw, Russ-ELL & KEEN United States Patent O 3,311,226 ADVERTISTNG DISPLAY CAN Wesley H. Oliver, 319 S. 2nd St.,

Las Vegas, Nev. 89101 Filed Feb. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 433,111 7 Claims. (Cl. 2tl647) This invention relates to a container and more particularly to an advertising display container which permits at least partial display of the contents of the container.

Presumably to enhance sales and to arouse consumer interest, novelty items are frequently sold with various goods including pourable edible materials such as cereals, popcorn, etc. The novelty item, which may be a small toy, a trinket, etc., and the goods are often provided within the same container. Such containers are typically of opaque material and do not allow the consumer to ascertain prior to purchasing and opening same the nature of the novelty item therein contained.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an advertising display container adapted to contain pourable material and a novelty item which will allow the prospective purchaser to obtain a glimpse of the novelty item without opening the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide an advertising display container containing pourable material and a novelty item which permits a glimpse of the novelty item even though the container is quite full by rotating the container while peering through a peephole in a Wall thereof. The advertising display container may be utilized to package various pourable materials without the novelty item. Pourable material such as beads, Christmas tree snow, etc., which will appear attractive when viewed in the container are particularly suited for packaging in the advertising display container. Also, the advertising display container may be used for packaging the novelty item without the pourable material, in which case the container provides a glimpse of such novelty item.

A further object of this invention is to provide an advertising display container having opposed end walls with a peephole in one of the end walls and a plurality of light-admitting apertures in the opposite end wall. More particularly, it is an object of this invention to position the light-admitting apertures closely adjacent the periphery of the end Wall so that light can enter the container when held in the proper position while it is being rotated even though it is partially full.

Another object of this invention is to provide an advertising display container in which the light-admitting apertures are in the form of an attractive or informationconveying design. A particular object of this invention is to form the light-admitting apertures in the form of letters of the alphabet which may convey information to the consumer.

A further object of this invention is to provide an advertising display container in which the peephole and light-admitting apertures are sealed by light-transmitting means which is secured in the container adjacent the peephole and the light-admitting apertures.

Another object of this invention is to provide an advertising display container having means for preventing the transmission of light through the light-transmitting means adjacent the light-admitting apertures when the container is in one position and for allowing light to pass through at least a portion of such lighbtransmitting means when the container is in another position.

The objects of this invention may be realized by providing an advertising display container which has side walls forming an enclosure with first and second opposed open ends (for enclosing the novelty item and the pourable material), a first opposed end wall having a peephole secured to one of the opposed open ends of the enclosure,

and a second opposed end wall having a plurality of lightadmitting apertures therein secured to the other opposed open end of the enclosure. Preferably the peephole is positioned near the center of its end wall and the light-admitting apertures are preferably located slightly inwardly from the side walls of the container. Light-transmitting means is provided adjacent the inner surfaces of the end walls to cover the peephole and the light-admitting apertures. The light-transmitting means also serves to close and seal the peephole and light-transmitting apertures to prevent the entry of contaminants into the container. If desired, the ligh -admitting apertures may take the form of an attractive design or letters, for example, formed into the sellers trademark or to convey other information to the consumer. The container will typically be nearly filled with a pourable, usually edible material and also contain at least one novelty item. To obtain a glimpse of the novelty item, the user or consumer may turn the container so that the side walls are not vertical in order that some of the pourable material will fall away from at least one of the light-admitting apertures. Then, by looking through the peephole and rotating the container, the pourable material will slide within the container as the latter rotates until at some position thereof at least a portion of the novelty item will become visible through the peephole. Thus, at least a glimpse of the novelty item is obtained without opening the advertising display container.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken on line 11 of FIG. 2 showing the advertising display container of the present invention;

PEG. 2 is a top view in plan of the advertising display container of FIG. 1 and shows a preferred peephole construction;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view in plan of the advertising display container shown in FIG. 1 and shows a preferred arrangement of light-admitting apertures;

FIGS. 4, 6, 8, and 10 are fragmentary views similar to FIG. 2 showing alternate forms of peephole construction; and

FIGS. 5, 7, 9, and 11 are fragmentary views similar to FIG. 3 showing alternate constructions and arrangements for the light-admitting apertures.

An advertising display container 11 shown in FIG. 1 includes an opaque side wall 13, opaque end walls 15 and 17, and light-transmitting means 19 and 21. The side wall 13 forms an enclosure having first and second opposed open ends 23 and 25. The side wall 13 shown in FIG. 1 is cylindrical; however, rectangular and other shapes may be used. Any suitable packaging material such as cardboard, plastic, metal, etc. may he used for the side wall 13.

The end wall 15 has an inner surface 27 and is secured to the open end 23 by any suitable means such as an annular peripheral crimp 29. In the specific embodiment shown the crimp 29 is integral with the end Wall 15 and has a channel-shaped cross section which snugly receives an upper edge 30 of the side wall 13. The crimp 29 may be bonded to the side wall 13 and the end wall 15 is set in slightly from the upper edge 36 of the side wall as shown in FIG. 1. The end wall 15 is preferably flat and shaped to conform to the open end 23 which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is circular. The end wall 15 is preferably imperforate and completely closes the open end 23 except for a generally centrally ositioned rectangular peephole 31. The peephole 31 is preferably minute or small relative to the size of the end Wall as it needs only to be sufiiciently large enough to allow a novelty item Within the container to be seen.

The end wall 17 is preferably fiat, has an inner surface 32, and is secured to the open end by any suitable means such as a crimp 33 so that it is substantially parallel to the end wall 15 and opposed thereto. The crimp 33 is similar to the crimp 29 and the end wall 17 is set in slightly from a lower edge 34 of the side wall 13. The end wall 17 is of a size sufiiciently large to completely cover the open end 25 and is secured to the side wall 13 so as to form a lateral edge which is contiguous the inner surface of the side wall 13. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the end wall 17 is circular and has a plurality of small circular light-admitting apertures 37 located slightly inwardly from side wall 13 or the lateral edge 35 to form a plurality of narrow webs 38 which separate the light-admitting apertures from the lateral edge. It is important that the light-admitting apertures 37 be positioned slightly inwardly from the side wall 13 or the lateral edge 35 so as not to interfere with the securing of the end wall 17 to the side wall 13. It is also important, however, that the light-admitting apertures 37 be disposed closely adjacent the lateral edge 35 for a reason which will be sebsequently described. Although any suitable spacing between the light-admitting apertures 37 which will produce a desirable pattern may be employed, it is preferred to maintain the light-admitting apertures substantially evenly spaced and positioned inwardly from the lateral edge 35 substantially equal distances. As shown in FIG. 3, the light-admitting apertures 37 may be arranged in a circle. The light-admitting apertures are preferably sufficiently small so that even though many are provided, substantial portions of the end wall 17 will separate adjacent and generally diametrically opposed apertures. Although eight lightadmitting apertures are shown in FIG. 3, it should be understood that any suitable number may be ememployed. The end walls 15 and 17 may be constructed of any material suitable for the side wall 13 and are preferably perpendicular to the side wall 13.

The light-transmitting means 19, preferably a flat transparent plastic sheet, is adhesively secured to the inner surface 27 in contiguous sealing relation therewith. The light-transmitting means 19 should completely cover the peephole 31 and may cover the entire open end 23 as shown in FIG. 1. The light-transmitting means 19 need not be adhesively sealed to the end wall 15; however, it is desirable to tightly seal it to either or both the end wall 15 and the side wall 13 to prevent contaminants from entering the advertising display container 11. Also, the light-transmitting means 19 need not be a transparent plastic but could be any suitable transparent material.

The similar light-transmitting means 21 is preferably adhesively secured to the inner surface 32 of the end wall 17 in contiguous sealing relation therewith. The light-transmitting means 21 may have any or all of the characteristics of the light-transmitting means 19 and, in addition, the former may be translucent in lieu of trans parent. The light-transmitting means 21 must be sealed or secured to either or both of the end Wall 17 and the side wall 13 to prevent contaminants from entering the container 11 through the light-admitting apertures 37 or at the lateral edge 35.

It is preferred that the light-transmitting means 19 and 21 which will usually be constructed of material of less strength than the end walls 15 and 17 be secured to the inner surfaces 27 and 32 for protection. This arrangement is also desirable where the light-transmitting means 19 and 21 do not cover the entire open ends. In this latter situation, edges of the light-transmitting means 19 and 21 will be exposed and it is desired to have these exposed edges protected by the end walls 15 and 17 to prevent the former from peeling ofi their respective end wall.

Prior to securing one of the end Walls 15 or 17 to the side wall 13, the container is at least partially filled with a pourable material 4-3 and a novelty item 45. The pourable material 43 may be any goods which will tend to assume the shape of the container in which they are positioned or are capable of being poured. Typical examples of pourable material are granular, particulate, and powered goods and liquids. The pourable material may be edible such as cereals, popcorn, candy, etc.

The novelty item 45 which is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 may be a trinket, toy, picture, etc. which may be attractive to the consumer and which may enhance the possibilities of selling the pourable material 43.

With the advertising display container 11 partially filled with pourable material 43 as shown in FIG. 1 and containing the novelty item 4-5, it is ready for use. As shown in FIG. 1, the novelty item 45 may be initially buried in the pourable material 43. However, by turning or tilting the advertising display container 11 so that the side wall 13 is moved from the vertical position shown in FIG. 1, the pourable material will flow and uncover the uppermost light-admitting aperture 37. By holding the advertising display container 11 at the proper angle, the viewer may peer through the peephole 31 and view the contents of the container. However, the novelty item 45 may still be buried in the pourable material 43, but by rotating and/or shaking the advertising display container 11 to further disturb the pourable material, the novelty item 45 will eventually become visible to the viewer. Thus, light will pass through at least some of the light-admitting apertures 37, the light-transmitting means 19 and 21, and the peephole 31 to render at least a portion of the novelty item visible above the pourable material at some rotational or angular position of the container 11.

It is evident therefore that the material 43 should be pourable so that upon tipping the container from the vertical position shown in FIG. 1, the material can flow to uncover at least a portion of one of the light-admitting apertures 37. Thus, the pourable material 43 acts as a means for preventing the transmission of light through the light-transmitting means 21 when the end wall 17 is substantially horizontal and for allowing light to pass through at least a portion of the light-transmitting means 21 when the end wall 17 is tilted from the substantially horizontal position.

It is an important feature of this invention that all of the light-admitting apertures 37 are located slightly inwardly from the side Wall 13 or the lateral edge 35. It is desired to position the light-admitting apertures as close to the lateral edge 35 as possible so that the advertising display container 11 need only be tipped through a small angle from its vertical position shown in FIG. 1 to uncover at least a portion of one of the light-admitting apertures 37. The light-admitting apertures 37 should not, however, extend to the lateral edge 35 because they would tend to interfere with the securing of the end wall 17 to the side wall 13 and it would be more difficult to achieve a tight seal at the lateral edge 35 without the narrow webs 38 separating the lateral edge 35 from the light-admitting apertures 37.

Another important feature of this invention is the sealing of the light-transmitting means 19 and 21 to the end walls 15 and 17, respectively, to prevent contaminants from entering the advertising display container through the peephole 31 and the light-admitting apertures 37. By extending the light-transmitting means completely to the side Wall 13, the likelihood of contaminants entering the container 11 at the junctures of the end walls 15 and 17 and the side wall 13 is substantially reduced. The light transmitting means 19 and 21 should be secured to the inner surfaces 27 and 32 for protection and to guard against peeling off or separation of the light-transmitting means.

It should be understood that the size and shape of the advertising display container 11 may be varied to suit the particular goods being packaged therein. The specific location, size, and shape of the light-transmitting apertures 37 are preferably selected to provide an attractive pattern or other shapes deemed desirable for advertising purposes.

The peephole 31 may assume several shapes and it is preferably centrally located in the end wall 15. A second peephole (not shown) may be provided adjacent the periphery of the end wall if desired.

FIGS. 4, 6, 8, and 10 show alternate embodiments of peephole construction and FIG. 8 also shows an alternate shape for the container. FIGS. 5, 7, 9, and 11 show alternate construction and arrangement of the light-admitting apertures. It is preferred to use the peepholes of FIGS. 4, 6, 8, and 10 with the light-admitting apertures of FIGS. 5, 7, 9, and 11 respectively; however, any of the peepholes may be used with any of the light-admitting apertures if desired.

The construction shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 except that a peephole 47 having rounded ends 49 and 51 is provided in an end wall 52 and a plurality of light-admitting apertures 53 of a shape similar to that of the peephole 47 are provided in an end wall 55.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, a circular peephole 57 and a plurality of light-admitting apertures 59 having the shape of letters are provided in a pair of end walls 61 and 63, respectively. The letters 59 could be suitably arranged and selected to spell a particular trademark or slogan. In all other respects, the construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, a rectangular advertising display container 65 is provided with a rectangular peephole 67 and a plurality of wedge-shaped light-admitting apertures 69 in a pair of rectangular end walls 71 and 73, respectively. The wedge-shaped light-admitting apertures 69 are preferably arranged as shown in FIG. 9 so that a broad side thereof is closely adjacent the lateral edge of the end wall 73 to allow maximum light transmission therethrough when only a portion of the light-admitting aperture is uncovered by the pourable material Within the container. In other respects the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. It should be understood that the rectangular container 65 may be provided with a peephole and lightadmitting apertures having shapes shown in the other figures of the drawing.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, a crescent-shaped peephole 75 and a plurality of star-shaped light-admitting apertures 77 are provided in a pair of end walls 79 and 81, respectively. In all other respects the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3.

The terms side wall and end walls were selected only to distinguish the elements 13, 15, and 17 in the embodiments shown. It should be understood that unless otherwise indicated, the end walls are not necessarily flat and of less length than the side walls as shown in FIG. 1. As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, end walls refers to those surfaces of an advertising display container which have either a peephole or lightadmitting apertures therein regardless of the size, shape, or locating of those surfaces.

'1" he particular constructions disclosed herein may be subjected to various changes, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an advertising display container for a novelty item and pourable material and adapted to admit light to display the novelty item, the combination of:

side walls forming an enclosure with first and second opposed open ends for enclosing the novelty item and the pourable materials;

a first fiat opposed end wall secured to said first opposed open end and having an inner surface, said first opposed end wall having a minute, generally centrally positioned peephole and being imperforate and completely closing said first opposed open end except for said peephole;

a second fiat opposed end wall secured to said second opposed open end to form a lateral edge and having an inner surface, said second opposed end wall having a plurality of substantially evenly spaced, small, light-admitting apertures located slightly inwardly from said lateral edge, each of said apertures being positioned inwardly from said lateral edge a substantially equal distance;

a first fiat, transparent, plastic sheet completely covering said peephole and adhesively secured to the inner surface of said first opposed end wall in contiguous sealing relation therewith; and

a second fiat, transparent, plastic sheet completely covering said plurality of light-admitting apertures and adhesively secured to the inner surface of said second opposed end wall in contiguous sealing relation therewith, whereby rotating said container light will pass through at least some of said lightadimtting apertures, said second and first flat transparent plastic sheets, and said peephole to render at least a portion of the novelty item visible through said peephole at some rotational position of said container.

2. An advertising display container as defined in claim 1 wherein said light-admitting apertures have the shape of letters of the alphabet.

3. An advertising display container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peephole is rectangular and each of said light-admitting apertures is circular.

4. An advertising display container as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said light-admitting apertures is wedgeshaped.

5. In an advertising display container for a novelty item and pourable material and adapted to admit light to display the novelty item, the combination of:

a side wall forming a cylindrical enclosure with first and second opposed open ends for enclosing the novelty item and the pourable material;

a first fiat, circular opposed end wall secured to said first opposed open end and having an inner surface, said first opposed end wall having a minute, generally centrally positioned rectangular peephole and being imperforate and completely enclosing said first opposed open end except for said peephole;

a second fiat circular opposed end wall secured to said second opposed open end and having an inner surface, said second opposed end wall having a plurality of substantially evenly spaced, small, circularly arranged light-admitting apertures located slightly inwardly from said side wall, each of said apertures being circular and positioned inwardly from said side wall a substantially equal distance;

a first flat transparent plastic sheet completely covering said peephole and said first opposed open end and adhesively secured to said inner surface of said first oppose-d end wall in contiguous sealing relation therewith; and

a second fiat transparent plastic sheet completely covering said plurality of light-admitting apertures and said opposed open end and adhesively secured to said inner surface of said second opposed end wall in contiguous sealing relation therewith whereby by rotating said container light will pass through at least some of said light-admitting apertures, said second and first fiat transparent plastic sheets, and said peephole to render at least a portion of the novelty item visible above said pourable material through said peephole at some rotational position of said container.

mission of light through said second light-transmitting sheet when said second opposed end Wall is substantially horizontal and for allowing light to pass through at least a portion of said second light-transmitting sheet when said second opposed end Wall is tilted from said substantially horizontal position.

7. An advertising display container as defined in claim 6 wherein said last-mentioned means includes pourable material partially filling said enclosure.

tioned peephole;

a second opposed end wall secured to said second opposed end and having an inner surface, said second opposed end wall having a plurality of light-ad- 10 mitting apertures located slightly inwardly from said side Walls;

a first light-transmitting sheet completely covering said References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,033,349 3/1936 Miller 20645.31 peephole and secured to said inner surface of said 2 094 390 9/1937 Warren 31 first opposed end Wall in sealing relation therewith; 5 1 10/1949 Papke a second light-transmitting sheet completely covering said light-admitting apertures and secured to said inner surface of said second opposed end Wall in sealing relation therewith;

a novelty item Within said enclosure; and

means within said enclosure for preventing the trans- LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, M. L. RICE, 20 Assistant Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,311,226 March 28, 1967 Wesley H. Oliver It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 24, for "sebsequently" read subsequently column 6, line 22, after "whereby" insert by line 65, for "opposed" read second opposed Signed and sealed this 7th day of November 1967.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. IN AN ADVERTISING DISPLAY CONTAINER FOR A NOVELTY ITEM AND POURABLE MATERIAL AND ADAPTED TO ADMIT LIGHT TO DISPLAY THE NOVELTY ITEM, THE COMBINATION OF: SIDE WALLS FORMING AN ENCLOSURE WITH FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSED OPEN ENDS FOR ENCLOSING THE NOVELTY ITEM AND THE POURABLE MATERIALS; A FIRST FLAT OPPOSED END WALL SECURED TO SAID FIRST OPPOSED OPEN END AND HAVING AN INNER SURFACE, SAID FIRST OPPOSED END WALL HAVING A MINUTE, GENERALLY CENTRALLY POSITIONED PEEPHOLE AND BEING IMPERFORATE AND COMPLETELY CLOSING SAID FIRST OPPOSED OPEN END EXCEPT FOR SAID PEEPHOLE; A SECOND FLAT OPPOSED END WALL SECURED TO SAID SECOND OPPOSED OPEN END TO FORM A LATERAL EDGE AND HAVING AN INNER SURFACE, SAID SECOND OPPOSED END WALL HAVING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY EVENLY SPACED, SMALL, LIGHT-ADMITTING APERTURES LOCATED SLIGHTLY INWARDLY FROM SAID LATERAL EDGE, EACH OF SAID APERTURES BEING POSITIONED INWARDLY FROM SAID LATERAL EDGE A SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL DISTANCE; A FIRST FLAT, TRANSPARENT, PLASTIC SHEET COMPLETELY COVERING SAID PEEPHOLE AND ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FIRST OPPOSED END WALL IN CONTIGUOUS SEALING RELATION THEREWITH; AND A SECOND FLAT, TRANSPARENT, PLASTIC SHEET COMPLETELY COVERING SAID PLURALITY OF LIGHT-ADMITTING APERTURES AND ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SECOND OPPOSED END WALL IN CONTIGUOUS SEALING RELATION THEREWITH, WHEREBY ROTATING SAID CONTAINER LIGHT WILL PASS THROUGH AT LEAST SOME OF SAID LIGHTADMITTING APERTURES, SAID SECOND AND FIRST FLAT TRANSPARENT PLASTIC SHEETS, AND SAID PEEPHOLE TO RENDER AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE NOVELTY ITEM VISIBLE THROUGH SAID PEEPHOLE AT SOME ROTATIONAL POSITION OF SAID CONTAINER. 